April 17, 2014

K-State Libraries announces Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award

Undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for the new Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award, which will be given annually at the end of the spring semester. Funded by a gift to K-State Libraries from Philip and Jeune Kirmser, the award program includes three major categories:

Individual freshman projects — $1,000 grand prize

Individual undergraduate projects, non-freshman — $1,000 grand prize

Undergraduate group project — minimum $2,000 grand prize

Additional honorable mention awards will be acknowledged in each category. The application deadline is April 25.

"We are so grateful to the Kirmser estate for this generous gift," says Lori Goetsch, dean of K-State Libraries. "The Libraries' faculty and staff have always supported undergraduate students through services, resources, and instruction. Now we're able to further recognize superior academic research with several substantial awards."

Philip Kirmser, 1919-2012, was a longtime professor and head of the applied mechanics department at Kansas State University. He also taught in several other departments in the School of Engineering. Jeune Kirmser, 1921-2012, was an educator, social worker and activist. They are survived by their son, Larry Kirmser, and daughter, Sandy Chastan.

Faculty members are encouraged to nominate outstanding undergraduate research. The award committee will then contact the nominees and encourage them to submit an application. However, students are also welcome to apply without the initial faculty nomination.

Jason Coleman, undergraduate librarian and Kirmser Undergraduate Research Award Committee chair, says, "We're working with a short application period this year, but we didn't want 2014 to slip by without acknowledging the outstanding academic undergraduate work generated on this campus."

The following criteria will be used to select the award recipients:

Recipients must be undergraduate students who completed research projects in any area of study from July 1, 2013, through April 25. Projects must have been completed as a requirement for a K-State course.

At least 50 percent of the research work must have been completed while the applicant was enrolled at K-State as an undergraduate.

Use of K-State Libraries' resources to complete the project is highly encouraged.

Projects will be scored based on creativity, organization, appropriateness of scope, quality of presentation and appropriateness of attributions.